In the Beginningby Melanie Ray

Everything might end for an endangered pacifist race, but not without a fight from Yed. While guarding the king though, an unpredictable situation emerges and he is now living a 'normal' life with old friends. Old friends he is keeping an irresistible dark secret from.
Excerpt:

Yed would rather be brushing up on study books than training. He only read the first chapter of Making Pheromones Work For You when called away to get the wannabe back in synch.

Yed dusted off blue grass stains from his green pants. Imported grass, how annoying. The blue grass from Fiark stained, but was exotic with a hundred different shades of blue. It was only for decoration.

So was the garden they were fighting in. He'd rather be outside the castle walls instead of the inner garden sanctum. Their native Plumblu grass would be ideal, as it never stained. But walk a mile to the outskirts of the castle grounds? Wasted time.

Protectors stayed calm to do their job; fighting wasn’t about a good time.

Yed’s race did not believe in fighting for anything, except for one major

Rogue wannabe Protectors, like the recruit, didn’t have that same instinct.

Yed showed them how to handle the job. “Our tails grow back, but our arms don’t. Pop quiz, bud--, guy shows up with flowers for your client. What do you do?”

Yed watched Walren scratch his head. The recruit wore an unofficial green vest and pants, trying to look the part of a real Protector. “Grab his arm?” he guessed. No, punch him out?”

“What?” Yed gawked. “Why so subtle? Why not drag the guy out in the middle of the yard and beat the crap out of him?” He pinched the bridge of his nose as he heard the recruit’s ingenious reply.

“Isn’t that overzealous?”

Bam. Bam. Bam. Yed hit his forehead. The recruit didn’t even recognize sarcasm. After unbuttoning his vest, he scratched his turquoise hair and wondered what to say. New rules required Yed to use positive reinforcement. He jiggled keys in his pants. Something positive. “Guys are scared s**tless of Protectors, so you’ll make more friends.”

“Yed,” Tug’s voice was soft but serious.

Yed turned his head and saw his comrade Tug. He wore the usual green vest with pressed white shirt uniform. Yed never wore his uniform unless he was on serious business. “Tug, this isn’t going to work,” he reasoned with his friend. “You’ve dragged him out to the castle, away from his Academy, I’ve tested him

three days but he’s...” Yed smiled brightly as he tapped on Walren’s head. “Hollow.”

“Every recruit who wants to make it, will make it. King’s orders.” Tug crossed his arms. “You’re one of the best.”

Yed rubbed the back of his ear and looked at Walren. He looped his arm around the trainee. “You know, I like you, so I’m going to let you know something.

If you decide to give up, you’ll have it made. Find a great girl, show her you can fight, go have kids and a family.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wrapped piece of candy. “I’ll even throw this in to sweeten the deal.” He looked

back at Tug as he heard his name in a scolded tone. “Okay, okay.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out another piece of candy. “Two pieces. I’m not greedy.”

Yed ignored Tug’s griping as he watched King Sheward pass by. The King disguised himself in a flowery bright shirt like a regular citizen, answering back to an alien. King Sheward was paranoid, with good reason, but did not want to stay locked up all day.

"Don't you dare," Tug said as he held his hand in front of Yed. "Another Protector will watch, the recruit needs help."

The King or a wannabe? Yed looked back at the recruit. He knew from experience that Walren was unstable. The recruit could fight, but he couldn’t learn restraint. "I'll introduce you to Darella Tyopic if you give up."

"You will?!" The recruit flung off his jacket with excitement in his eyes. "You know one of the hottest females around? Personally? I-I have-"

Yed patted Tug’s back. “Tell you what, you work out whether this kid would rather meet a famous female or continue. I have to make sure the king doesn’t get himself killed.”

Yed heard Tug call back for him once, but knew he was in the clear as he stepped off the blue grass onto the orange cement path. If Walren couldn't give up feminine wiles, he had no chance of making it.